texashoser

Sorry, but I don't buy this - any of it. Pilots don't usually give a crap what goes on in the cabin and leave it up to FA's. While they do have to settle disputes every once in a while, it's never about seat saving. I know a couple of WN pilots and this doesn't even approach their radar - pun intended.

fivenue

i didn't ask pilot (or even FA) to settle to dispute seat saving, i just mentioned my turn off when flying with WN to them.

i don't care if you buy it or not, i was just sharing my experience.
the conversation happened few times, usually during connecting flights, few of years back.
i had few small talks with FAs or Pilot (again not the same time) about how i loved WN as carrier, but not so much on the fellow passengers, and mainly about the hassle of passenger's seat saving. and they agreed with me.

in fact, the last conversation i had was with the pilot, during my connecting flight at Burbank, two years ago. and if i recall correctly, that was my last flight with WN.

i settle my seat saving problem with the passenger directly, depending on my mood. many times i let it go, the other times, i just told them that WN has open seat policy, and told them to take it to FA.

emrdoc

^^^^^^

vacayseeker

I have to ask again, why doesn't WN make it an official policy? It seems to me easy enough to do and sounds like from your experiences FAs and pilots would like to be rid of the seat saving hassles. And even if they don't really care, what is there to be gained from having "no policy"?

justhere

Do you have anything substantive to add or are you just pointing out that you are taking the moral high ground?

I'm just trying to discuss the saving/not saving, available/not available seat issue. Not everyone's moral compass points in the same direction and it doesn't have to be the restroom excuse.

The person already seated could simply say "that seat's not available, someone has already claimed it". That's not lying. It just seems a little unscrupulous to me (not sure if that's really the word I'm looking for here) for WN to sell EBCI and yet knowingly allow people to save seats.

spongenotbob

Wambulance is on its' way.

justhere

For whom?? I don't see anyone crying about anything.

fivenue

well, this question is for WN.
i guess the percentage of a***hole who like to reserve/save seats are smaller, and outweigh by a lot more nice people who don't care.
i've moved on from southwest to jetblue, and now to delta, mainly because of the business travel decision. as a bonus, i now avoid being hassled by others for seat.
again, this is my past experience with WN, so YMMV.

fivenue

for you?

nsx

What's to be gained is one less unpleasant duty for the crew. Southwest does have a policy: they aren't going to be the seat police. The policy is that the more aggressive customer wins, unless both customers are so aggressive that the real police need to be called. That's the policy, like it or not, fair or not.

Amicus

Sometimes, a FA will choose to get involved. On a flight a couple years ago, I boarded as an A+ fairly early, and went to sit in the bulkhead window seat. The aisle seat was occupied, and it appeared he had strewn random things across the middle and window seat. He said someone would be sitting there, but I sat anyway. My CP holder was boarding shortly thereafter and went to take the middle seat, between us, whereby the man pitched a fit. He began cursing at us, which we ignored. It must have been almost C boarding before his wife came on board the plane, and simply sat in the aisle seat across from him. (the middle and window of the other bulkhead seats were already occupied by a couple when I boarded).
At which time, the FA asked the wife if she wanted to remain on board, or deplane with her husband, because they were taking him off the flight for cursing. She stayed, he left. FA apologized to us AND to the wife.

JJsnyder

I pay for early boarding just as should everyone else who want the early seat. I Have seen a plane take longer to load because of 10 saved seats by people. SWA should come out against this.

Garrett Choi

It would be much less unpleasant if there was a clearly stated rule. If there isn't, then they have to mediate arguments and take a side (which, I agree, sux).

texashoser

If seat-saving is the biggest gripe that Southwest pilots and FA's have, can you imagine the gripes that other airline flight crews have? AA, DL, and UA all have assigned seating and the few times my wife and I have flown them lately (mainly UA), their FA's and pilots seem to be generally grumpy. Probably because, in general, their employers are anything but spectacular.

jeffjohnvol

The one time I had to save a seat (referenced earlier) I saved a window for the missus and I grabbed a center. In the future, I’ll probably just pay the upgrade for both of us to avoid any potential hassle.

But lets say you are in a situation like I was, and someone wants the window seat, and there is an open seat policy. Are you required to get up to let them in, or could you just say, “go ahead, climb over”? Of course if the FA asked you would have to get up. This wouldn’t work for exit row or bulkhead of course.